72-year-old's 54-year-old lesson (From Daily Echo)

72-year-old's 54-year-old lesson

6:00am Saturday 19th February 2011

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BERNARD McCarthy, now 72, still remembers a valuable lesson he learnt 54 years ago when he first joined Totton Recreation club.

A club-mate had more excuses when he lost than you could shake a stick at.

Bernard recalled: “Whenever he lost it was always the balls, the cushions, the cloths, the tables were too damp.

“He never lost because he didn’t pot enough balls.

“And I learnt from those very early days that I would never, ever make an excuse for losing and I never have.

“You only lose for one reason: you didn’t pot enough balls. I don’t get irritable or nasty and I don’t lose any sleep if I lose.”

Bernard was speaking moments before clinching the deciding frame of a 3-2 home win over Shirley Cons E. Totton Rec C had lost the corresponding away fixture by the same score last October.

Cheering the team to victory were Bob Payne’s wife Pauline, Allan Payne’s wife Elisa and Lee Osborne’s dad Doug, 69, a reserve whose dad Jim was a former Surrey champion. And, of course, Des McCarthy.

Bernard’s brother Des is in his 62nd season playing snooker for Totton Rec. To put that in perspective, the Second World War finished only three years before Des made his debut.

“Bern’s a great lad,” said Des. “We have a great time together.

And he revealed how, even after 62 years, he’s still keen to find out how the team performed when he is forced to miss a match.

He said: “They played Romsey Cons B last week. Now, on paper, we’re not going to beat Romsey Cons. They beat the D team 3-2 two weeks before that.

“I had a stinking head cold so I couldn’t go and Romsey Cons is one of the nicer clubs, actually.”

Des said it “made my day” when he phoned Bernard on the Tuesday morning and was told Totton Rec C had won 3-2.

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